Arowe, Fortu and Liga Bur. Having the Party made up of three Fighter class Player Characters posed a few problems for me as your Dungeon Master.
Easily solved problems though.
An Elven Archer, a Human Gladiator and a Halfling Tracker (plus his hound) actually made creating combat encounters pretty easy. All I needed was a way to divvi out healing when needed. Potions, plentiful and freely available would have done it but it also gave me the option of shoehorning in a suitable Non Player Character.
Rifkin; A Bard who could both bolster the Party and heal you during and after battles. He also allowed me to offer advice within the game when needed. He worked well for me because his Bardic ‘inspiration’ and personal cowardice made him super-easy to handle during combat encounters.
This meant three/five characters vs whatever monster/monsters you were facing sped by quite quickly in round by round combat.
Then, thanks to David/Fortu’s moment of mercy, you also acquired three more melee based henchmen. Henchmen that I hadn’t planned on giving you.
Henshaw; a defensive based but intelligent Fighter, Doberman; a mindless chop-monster and Barbella; the slightly more complicated sort-of-thief-back-stabber.
So now, with seven/eight ‘heroes’ vs whatever monster/monsters I threw at you. Combat became twice as slow…
Half as fast?
Then Scott ‘evolved’ Liga Bur from Ranger to full Druid and added extra healing (if he ever selected it) and several more options in combat, not least of which, was the ability to summon multiple more combatants during the battles.
He also rescued the flaming executioner/prisoner; Dijonn and had him bound to a magical staff. Another, potentially independently acting, morally dubious, member of the team!
Seven/nine (plus) ‘heroes’ vs whatever monster/monsters I throw at you.
Then Assif ‘retired’ his quick-on-the-draw, archer; Arowe and brought in a Dwarven Cleric and his fantastically well trained Mule; Murmul.
Seven/Ten (plus) ‘heroes’ vs whatever monster/monsters I throw at you.
More combat options to be sure and yet another healing opportunity but in Banaal’s second combat encounter, he summoned an Air-elemental. A pattern he’d oft repeat!
Now combats are running at around three-times slower…
A third as fast?
I did ‘cancel’ your evil trio of Henchies recently but I almost immediately replaced them with the (much more dependable and untreacherous) good triplets.
Given the current numbers, it can still work but it’s gotten progressively harder for me to plan and run the adventure, the more wheels are simultaneously turning. More player options mean more planning for me and more combatants, perversely means much, much, much longer combats.
In addition, the larger and more powerful the Party, the tougher and more numerous the enemy needs to be to compensate. The obvious additional consequence but pertinent to the speed of combat.
I’m guessing that ( unless they’re easy-peasy walk-overs) this slows the ‘average’ battle down to about one combat per session.
The last Mar-Gin river crossing combat encounter involved sixteen 4th level Rogues, a 5th level Witch and a 9th level Assassin verses 8th level; Fortu, Liga Bur and Banaal, 6th level Rifkin, three 4th level Fighter triplets; Locket, Chape and Ringo, a 5th level Captain Lynchin, four of his 2nd level guards plus the dogs; Mir Hundur and Deo, five riding gee-gees, the massive Night Fever, Dijonn and two divine summoned creatures; the Celestial Hippogryph and the giant Squid!
Plus poor innocent bystander (boat-stander?); Jane!
Forty-two (weird cosmic coincidence?) pieces simultaneously on the board!
To be honest, confusing as it is, I kinda-sorta love it, but it does potentially create two (four-hour) session combats.
Ultimately, this is the bloated (despite only having three player-characters) situation we’ve created for ourselves and if you can live with it, so can I.
:)
As a set piece battle, the river crossing was one of the best we've had.
ReplyDeleteI agree it is complex and maybe we could think about reducing numbers but if you are ok with it, so am I.
In a way, this is the combat D&D I was looking for!
I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Just like this post though, I’ve got a habit of getting carried away. Rivers (like innocuous doors) are always hilarious in D&D but it did become much, much more complicated than it could have been. Maybe next time I’ll just give you all one big, stupid thing to dog-pile onto? :)
DeleteI think it was a one off, we had the local guards and you had an army of assassins. Most of the actions are simple; Fortu - I hit it with my sword or I move and hit it with my sword, then I hit it againagainagain. We keep Riffers simple, stand out of way and play and our triplets are like Fortu, stab it or shoot it. Ok choice of spells and conjures add a bit but I feel it done run smooth.
ReplyDeleteLike that you sneaked/ snuck a 9th lvl assassin in.
The 'one big thing' might be wrong as it could probably 1 or 2 shot somebody, but hey they would be the breaks, its a game where you could die and if I play like a goon I should die like one.
I was impressed how all three of you responded. Admittedly, I was counting on Liga Bur transforming into an Eagle and flying up solo, but it was still the tactically right thing to do and his actions after serious injury were still game changing. Banaal was surprisingly cool-headed (after impulsive Arowe) and he turned the tide of the battle by electing to save Captain Liberty chin and his guards before washing away the burning oil. His use of his new cloak was clever too. Fortu’s use of his Octopus armour was pragmatic as well. Facing multiple enemies single handed with just shield and sword is becoming Fortu’s… Fortis. :)
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